Indonesia Leads Islamic World Parliamentary Diplomacy at the 19th PUIC Forum
By: Andi Jatmiko
Indonesia once again demonstrated its global leadership by hosting the 19th Parliamentary Conference of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) or Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC) which was held on 12–15 May 2025 at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta. The holding of this event demonstrated the international community’s trust in Indonesia’s leadership in leading the Islamic world.
The selection of Indonesia as host was not merely the result of ordinary rotation, but more than that, it reflected Indonesia’s increasingly solid diplomatic reputation in the international arena, especially among Islamic countries. In this forum, Indonesia is not just a host, but also a leader who offers a new narrative—encouraging the strengthening of governance and strong institutions as pillars of resilience for OIC countries. As conveyed by the Chairman of the BKSAP DPR RI Mardani Ali Sera, Indonesia’s diplomacy at the 19th PUIC is more than just protests and criticism, but rather a call to improve itself so that Islamic countries become more advanced and competitive.
The conference theme, Good Governance and Strong Institutions as Pillars of Resilience, reflects a progressive direction. This is a concrete invitation for OIC member countries to build a transparent, accountable, and adaptive governance system to global change. With strong institutions, OIC countries can strengthen their bargaining position in world geopolitics and create more equitable and just people’s welfare.
One of the peaks of this forum was the preparation of the Senayan Declaration, a collective statement of the OIC parliament that firmly voiced support for Palestinian independence. In this context, Indonesia prioritizes diplomacy that is solution-oriented, not merely symbolic. According to Mardani, this declaration not only contains condemnation of Israeli aggression, but also encourages concrete cooperation between parliaments to bring the Palestinian issue to international forums in a more systematic and impactful manner.
The enthusiasm of the participants, especially from Iran, confirmed the high expectations for the implementation of PUIC this time. Iran sent 62 delegates, including 15 members of parliament who will be led directly by the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament. Their presence by private jet, despite having to face technical challenges due to international sanctions, showed their seriousness in actively participating. Mardani said that the logistics and security aspects were of particular concern, given the limitations of air access and the accompanying technical diplomacy. In this case, the cooperation between the DPR protocol, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the TNI, the Polri, and Airnav proved that Indonesia was ready to organize this forum professionally.
Indonesia’s readiness was not only seen from the diplomacy and logistics side, but also from the security side. The Brimob Unit of the Metro Jaya Police had conducted simulations and checked equipment and personnel to ensure maximum security during the event. The Commander of the Brimob Unit of the Metro Jaya Police, Senior Commissioner Henik Maryanto, emphasized that all personnel had been prepared professionally and were ready to carry out their duties with full responsibility. Optimal security support is an important foundation so that all delegates feel safe and comfortable in conveying their views and establishing cooperation between countries.
Furthermore, the 19th PUIC also opened up a very important bilateral diplomatic space. Iran, for example, has submitted an official request to hold a meeting with President-elect Prabowo Subianto and Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives Puan Maharani. This shows that this forum is a strategic moment to strengthen relations between countries, especially in terms of inter-parliamentary cooperation, economics, and other strategic issues in the Islamic world. Indonesia can use this momentum to expand its network and strengthen its bargaining position in global issues concerning the Islamic world. Another important thing is the active role of the Indonesian House of Representatives, especially Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives Puan Maharani who led the conference directly. This is not only an affirmation of Indonesia’s position as a leader in Islamic parliamentary diplomacy, but also a symbol of the inclusiveness of women’s leadership in international politics. Puan Maharani brings the message that parliamentary diplomacy is no longer elitist, but is a down-to-earth bridge that reflects humanitarian values and cross-country solidarity.
